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Video:How to Plan a Bachelor Party

Are you in charge of planning the ultimate bachelor party for your best bud? Have fun, and keep it cool with these tips for planning the best bachelor party.See Transcript

Transcript:How to Plan a Bachelor Party

Hey guys - Jonathon Stewart here for About.com. If you or one of your buddies is getting married anytime soon, there's a good chance you've started to talk about the bachelor party. They can be a blast, but they can also ruin a marriage before it even gets off the ground, so stick to these easy tips, and you'll be thankful you did. Check it out.

Bachelor Parties Throughout History

It's rumored that bachelor parties started back in Sparta about 2000 years ago, when soldiers would gather together for a big feast and offer toasts to their soon to be married friend. Just how that evolved into some of the events that make up present day bachelor parties, I'm not exactly sure. But it does underscore an important point: the bachelor party should honor your buddy, and his marriage, not make a mockery of it.

Initial Party Planning

The first things you should decide are: who is coming, and where will it take place? The best man is typically in charge of wrangling the occasion, and should speak with the groom about the specifics of both. Consider whether you are looking for a large party, or a smaller group of close friends; and whether the event will take place over a few hours, or an entire weekend.

Choose a Bachelor Party Location

Location is another big factor - if you pick a destination site, you'll need to plan ahead a bit so people can free their schedules. From here, it's completely up to you how you spend this time and money. Here are a few bachelor party ideas, that can be a ton of fun, depending on you:

a weekend of boating or skiing at Lake Tahoe

camping in a nearby reserve

dressing up in costumes for a night out

heading to the racetrack for an afternoon

kickin' it on a day at the beach

hunkering down for a little paint-ball competition

joining forces with your fiancee and having a coed night on the town

clearing out the basement for a late night of poker

renting a limo and club-hopping for the night

jet setting your way to Copenhagen

or of course, doing it up in Las Vegas

Cater the Party to the Groom's Interests

Definitely, definitely, definitely be creative here. Think about the stuff that the groom loves most in life, and tailor the day or weekend accordingly. Toss out any preconceived notions of what a bachelor party is supposed to entail, and take it to the limit.

Things to Avoid

And whatever you do, know that the following are things you should avoid, and help the groom to avoid, at all costs: Cheating on his fiancee, lying to his fiancee, winding up the hospital, getting arrested, throwing up on yourself (or anyone else), getting into a fight, or overspending your budget for the weekend.

I've pretty much seen it all, and it's definitely not pretty. So, I can't say it enough, just remember this is a weekend to celebrate the groom and this major transition in his life, so have a killer time, just remember to treat your buddy, and the occasion, with respect.

Thanks for watching! To learn more visit us on the Web at About.com.

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